THE DECOMPOSITION OF SUBSTITUTED BENZOYL PEROXIDES IN THE PRESENCE OF DIMETHOXYBENZENES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4020(82)80128-2

Benzoyl peroxides, particularly those containing electron withdrawing substituents, undergo rapid decomposition in the presence of m-dimethoxybenzene, p-dimethoxybenzene, 2,5-di-t-butyl-1,4-dimethoxybenzene, and 2,5-dimethyl-1,4-dimethoxybenzene.Reactions are first oder in peroxide and dimethoxy benzene, increasing in the order given.Identified products are the acids corresponding to the peroxide and esters involving ring substitution, ring substitution with elimination of a t-Bu group, and benzylic substitution.It is proposed that reaction involves a rate-determining charge transfer transition state leading to radical ion pairs which collapse to products.No free radicals have been detected.